


Mother and Child

by dannihowell (iguessicantry)



Category: Mother and Child - Fandom, Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Adoption, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-07-27 16:57:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7626589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iguessicantry/pseuds/dannihowell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan and Phil in the adoption process. The mother is a young girl who doesn’t seemed too pleased the future parents of her child.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mother and Child

**_0 Weeks_ **

_“I don’t have anything…”_

_“It’s cool. It’ll be alright.”_

_“But what if…?”_

_“We’ll be fine. I’ll be here for you, always.”_

——

**_15 Weeks_ **

It’s 10:23 am and they’re right on time. The appointment’s at 10:30 so yeah, they’re right on time. Okay, yeah… they’re nervous. Dan couldn’t sleep and Phil can’t sleep when Dan can’t sleep because well… Dan controls more than Phil would like to admit.

The office is clean and not too busy. There’s a couple sat in front of them. A young black couple—a man and a woman. They smile at Dan and Phil before they’re called back into an office.

Dan rests his head on Phil’s shoulder and his husband smiles. “It’ll be our turn soon.”

“Will she like us?”

“Who knows, Dan? Who knows?”

****

“So you’re really married? And gay?”

Phil looks back and forth between the young girl and the adoption agent.

“Yes,” Dan announces. “We’ve been married for four and half years now.”

“Oh,” the girl replies, scrunching up her face. “She didn’t tell me.”

The adoption agent, Amy, takes a deep breath before she says, “Ms. Greenwood, this couple is, as you can see, a same-sex couple. Would you like to wait for another family to become available?”

“No. I just have to get used to it, that’s all… What're your names?”

Phil smiles when he says, “I am Phil Howell-Lester and this is Dan.”

“Lindsay,” she replies, smiling back but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Frankly, the young girl seems highly uninterested in the proceedings concerning her and her unborn child. Her blonde hair is streaked with pink and brown, mascara is far too heavy and her fingertips suggest that she’s been smoking recently. They’re yellowed from the nicotine.

“And how old are you?” Dan asks cautiously.

“Twenty.”

“And what do you do?”

She glares at him. “No, let’s not talk about that. What do _you_ do?”

“We are radio DJs and video producers.”

“What does that mean?”

“We make videos for YouTube as well as work for the BBC. We’re are financially stable.”

“Alright. So does that mean you’re rich?” she asks snidely. “Is my kid gonna be raised rotten?”

Dan wants to blurt out “It’ll be better off raised rotten with us than suffering with you!” but he doesn’t. He lets Phil handle this.

“No. We’re pretty down to earth most people say. We own a four bedroom townhouse. One of the room is ours, the other is filled with equipment for our jobs and we’ve left the remaining two to start a family. Your child will be comfortable but not indulged.”

“We also have a dog,” Dan adds for no apparent reason. “His name is Beau.”

“Alright,” she waves him off.

“Do you go to school, Lindsay?”

“No, I don’t.”

“So, you work?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Okay…” Dan says, no way helping the awkward silence.

Amy steps in. “So, Ms. Greenwood, are you ready to move forward with the adoption process?”

“No. I need more time.”

—–

It doesn’t take more than a minute in the car for Dan to shout.

“She’s awful!”

“She’s our child’s mother.”

“That’s if she lets us adoption him… or her.”

“She’s probably just scared Dan. You saw her. She’s young and doesn’t have the slightest clue what she’s doing.”

“I guess you’re right…”

“Of course, I am,” Phil says with a cool easy confidence that is so purely ‘ _Phil_ ’. “Ready to go home?”

“Yeah. Let’s stop and get takeaway though. I’m hungry and too lazy to cook.”

“We can’t do that when we have a bigger family than this.”

“No,” Dan smiles. “We can’t.”

——

**_18 Weeks_ **

“Do you believe in God?” Lindsay asks. “I want my baby raised by the right kind of people.”

“Uh,” Dan mumbles.

“I do,” Phil answers truthfully.

“And you?” she says looking towards Dan.

“I—am—not sure if he exists.”

“So what will you tell my kid?”

“We’ll let them choose if they want to be religious,” Dan answers.

“Okay,” she says. She turns to Amy and nods. “Let’s start the papers and stuff. They can have it.”

“Really?” Dan breathes, clutching Phil’s hand. He thought he had screwed this up for sure.

“Yeah,” she says. “You’re alright. Already better than my own folks.”

Amy stands up and reaches to shake Dan and Phil’s hands. “Congratulations. This is a good match. I can always tell.”

—-

_**20 Weeks** _

The office is busier than ever today but Dan and Phil get through rather easily. They find Lindsay in her normal spot, in the armchair closest to the window. She’s wearing a light yellow dress and her stomach is showing nicely now. The streaks are gone out of her hair. She looks almost angelic.

“Hello,” Phil says as they enter. Amy is absent.

“Oh hey,” she replies. “Got good news for you.”

“Yeah?” Dan asks.

“I think we should wait for Amy—,”

“Good afternoon! How are we all today?” Amy says brightly. “Oh, Lindsay! You look lovely.”

“Yeah, got a job this morning.”

“Congratulations, dear. Alright… we are at the five-month mark. And you’ve just had the very special ultrasound.”

“Yeah,” Lindsay sighs. “He’s getting pretty big, innit?”

“He?” Dan and Phil both say simultaneously.

“Yeah, baby’s a boy. Saw his little thing and everything.”

“Wow,” Dan laughs. “A son.”

“Excited, are you?” Lindsay glares.

Dan raises his eyebrows and stutters, “What does that mean?”

“Nothing,” she dismisses. “It’s just not fair. Can I go?”

“No, we have something to discuss.”

“You don’t need me. I signed everything and when he comes out you can have him. I really don’t want stay.”

“Would you like to go shopping with us?” Phil suggested. “For the baby? Is that allowed?” he says, directing the last question to Amy.

Amy furrowed her brow. “It’s up to you. We’ve never really had this happen before outside of open adoptions.”

“We can have lunch too. Get to know you a little more. You can get to know us,” Phil continued.

“I don’t have any money.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s on us.”

***

When they get to the car after the appointment, Dan holds the door open for Lindsay who just rolls her eyes. Phil shrugs.

“Anywhere you like to eat in particular?”

“No. You can pick anything. As long as I can get to the loo when I need to.”

“Alright,” Phil laughs.

They get to a place that serves American cuisine—okay, it’s just burgers and fries (chips! Dan insists). But Lindsay smiles when she opens the menu so Phil counts it as a win. He goes back to the car because he forgot his wallet and leaves Dan alone with the girl.

“Do you—uh do you still see the baby’s father?”

She drops the menu and meets his eyes. “No.”

“What happened?”

“He… He’s gone. He just left, okay?”

“Okay,” Dan coughs. “Sorry.”

“He looks just like you, you know? Cal looks just like you. Baby might look like you.”

“Oh!” Dan smiles. “Might look like you though. He’ll be very good looking either way.”

Lindsay sighs before releasing a soft giggle. The smile reaches her eyes this time.

“You’re very pretty when you smile.”

“Thanks. So are you.”

“Shut up!” Dan laughs as the waitress in black and red comes over.

Lindsay’s in a fit of laughter and the waitress can’t help display her own smile. “Hi! I’m Liv. I’ll be your server today. Can I start you off with a drink?”

“Uh yeah. You go first Lindsay.”

“Just water.”

Dan looks at the drink selection before ordering, “Two Ribena, please.”

“Alright,” Liv says writing it down. “Can I just say both you look so adorable?”

Dan shakes his head all while laughing. “My husband will be happy to hear that.”

When she walks away, Lindsay says, “Sorry about how I’ve been acting.”

“It’s alright. Hormones and everything,“ he smiles. "It’s okay, really.”

—-

**_30 Weeks_ **

“We have a problem,” Amy says.

“What?” Lindsay asks.

“We still need you to have the birth father give up his parental rights.”

“He left. He gave them up when he said it wasn’t his!”

“There’s a law, Ms. Greenwood. I have to follow the protocol. You can prove that you tried to contact him and if he does not sign the documents because you cannot find him or does not show interest, then his right will be revoked. Otherwise, he has every right to come back and claim the child.”

“That’s shit!”

“Please,” Amy breathes. “Sit down and we’ll figure this out.”

Dan and Phil remain silent.

—-

Dan’s spent the better part of the day with Phil painting the baby’s room. They’ve decided to name him Elliot Christopher. They figure if he likes one over the other he can choose and the nicknames have a low possibility of bullying attached to them.

The room is now a light blue with white trimming on the door and windows.

“What if we never get to use this room?” Dan asks.

“Yeah because he’ll end up sleeping with us until he’s five,” Phil jokes.

“That’s not what I meant.”

It’s silent for a moment. Dan can somehow hear Phil thinking. “I know.”

—-

**_35 Weeks_ **

Amy has a smile on her face when Dan and Phil meet with the two women. Lindsay’s smiling too.

“He signed the papers.”

***

“Can I give him something to remember me?” Lindsay says as they all walk through the toy aisle in the local baby supply depot.

“Sure. What were you thinking of?”

Lindsay waddles over to a shelf stuffed with fluffy brown bears, bunnies, cats, and dogs. She finds a cute one wearing a red plaid bow tie. It’s a dark brown teddy bear; classic.

“I like this one. I think he’ll like it.”

Dan says, “He’ll love it.”

***

It’s the day of the baby shower. Phil’s sister-in-law begged to throw them one and everyone was excited when they got the little blue invitation.

_“It’s a boy!”_

Lindsay doesn’t come. It seemed awkward so she decided not to. Dan saves her a piece of cake.

**_37 Weeks_ **

Phil’s mum comes for a visit and she plans to stay for the first month to help them out.

The nursery is all finished and Phil makes a vlog about putting the crib together. It’s dark brown. The bedding is light blue with brown polka dots. The mobile plays a lovely lullaby and Dan makes up a song to go along with it.

Diapers are stacked and ready. The changing table is well-equipped. There’s a multicolored rug and a brown rocking chair.

They buy a wooden E to place on the shelf next to a set of blocks and a piggy bank. The baby monitor still needs batteries but they have time. The outlets are covered and the house is completely baby proofed.

Phil ordered the preschool channel from the cable company. It plays soft music at night time. He and Dan both look forward to the long nights and exhausting days.

He’ll be all theirs soon enough.

**_39 Weeks_ **

“He’s beautiful.” Dan’s holding the little infant in his arms for the first time.

“I’m your daddy,” he whispers. “Hello there…”

Lindsay’s asleep. She was in labor for 32 hours. Either Dan or Phil was by her side the entire time. Her mother stays quiet.

***

It’s the morning to go home. Phil went home to get a change of clothes and Dan caught a nap in the waiting room. When they go back into the hallway where Lindsay’s room is, there’s an officer stood outside the door.

Amy’s in tears.

Dan tries to run into the room but the officer stops him.

Phil can’t contain his emotions. “That’s our son!”

“She’s decided to keep him,” Amy says firmly, though the tears on her cheeks indicate the weakness within her.

Dan’s bangs on the door. “Elliot!” he screams. “Lindsay, he’s ours! You promised!”

“She can’t do this to us,” Phil says angrily. He’s tired. They both are.

“She has 48 hours after the birth to take back her rights. This morning she did. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah, you’re sorry? We just lost our son and _you’re_ sorry.”

The officer pulls Dan away from the door of the room. Phil’s takes him away and lets him cry on his shoulder. Phil’s kisses the top of his head. A nurse hands them a box of tissues and leaves them alone.

—-

**_2 Days_ **

The doorbell rings.

Phil opens the door. Amy smiles and looks down at the carrier in her hands. “She was born two days ago. She has no one. Will you take her?”

Phil’s mom comes to the door where Phil is stood awestruck.

“Come in!” she says.

“Dan! Come in here!” Phil shouts.

The baby coos in the carrier. She’s got on the hospitals pink and brown cap that all baby girls get. Her skin a light brown and her eyes appear green at first glance. Mrs. Lester picks her up first.

“She looks like an angel. Doesn’t she?”

Dan walks into the living room so Phil beckons him over.

“Her mother died in childbirth. There was no father…” Amy explains. “Like I said, she has no one in the world but you.”

“Does she have a name?” Dan asks softly. Mrs. Lester’s singing softly to her, giggling because she swears the infant is laughing.

“The nurses were calling her Belle. Like Baby Belle.”

“She looks like an Ellie,” Phil’s mother comments. “Ellen Christine.”

—-

**_3 years_ **

“Ellie, there are no monsters in the cupboard,” Dan says sleepily.

The little girl shakes her head and cuddles Mr. Bearington close to her chest. He still has that red plaid bow tie. “Daddy, no! You have to believe me!”

Dan knows Ellie. His daughter is perhaps the most dramatic child in the entire country. It explains why she has a small part in the local theater’s production of _Annie_.

“Do you want to stay with Papa and me?”

Ellie hides her smile before she nods.

“Come on then.”

As they make their way up the stairs and into the big bedroom, Ellie asks, “Daddy, can you and Papa tell me the story of the princess and the two kings?”

Phil turns in his sleep and Dan hits him over the head with a pillow.

“Dan, you little shi–,”

“ _Ellie_ wants to hear the story and I think you tell it best.”

Phil yawns and takes the little girl into his arms. “Is your bear ready?”

“Yeah, he’s all warm and everything.”

“Once upon a time, there were two kind kings and they were really sad…”

“Why?” Dan asks.

“They had lost their first baby,” Phil replies. “They were very excited to see him but he never came home.”

“But then the fairy came?”

“Yes. A fairy arrived at the castle with a little pink bundle. It was sparkly with fairy dust and glitter.”

“What was inside the bundle, Papa?”

“A perfect little princess.”

“The kings were so happy. They loved their princess and promised to love her forever.”

“Did they live happily ever after?”

Both Dan and Phil whispered, “Yes. Yes, they did.”

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr  
> [dannihowell](https://danni-howell.tumblr.com/)


End file.
